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JAPANESE EXCHANGE STUDENT WINS VALDEZ WOMENS SILVER SALMON DERBY

August 15, 2016 By Valdez Fish Derbies

VALDEZ, Alaska – Nana Matsui, an exchange student attending Prince William Sound College in Valdez, was surprised and excited to be crowned Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood Saturday night. Matsui reeled in a 15.9 pound silver salmon to win $1,000 in cash and $1,000 in prizes from Prospector Outfitters and Valdez Fish Derbies. Matsui said it was her dream to come to Alaska from her hometown of Osaka, Japan because she loves nature. Matsui is 20 years old and studying biology in Valdez while staying with a host family. “I was sleeping”, said Matsui. “I woke up because everyone was yelling. This is the first salmon I have ever caught so I wasn’t sure what to do. I was panicked”. Despite her nerves, Matsui managed to catch the Women’s Derby winner and also take the lead in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. If her fish holds on in the regular derby through September 4th, Matsui stands to win a $15,000 cash prize.

 

Cindy Unger of Valdez took 2nd place in the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby with a 14.58 pound silver salmon and said, “When it first flashed my husband’s eyes got about as big as the fish”. Unger took home $500 cash and $500 in prizes for the Women’s Derby and is currently in 3rd place in the overall Silver Salmon derby. The 3rd place winner in the Women’s Derby was Karinna Gonzalez of Fairbanks who caught a 14.46 pound silver salmon.

A week ago, anglers were wondering if the silver salmon would show up in Valdez then, at one point last week, all three overall leaders in the Silver Salmon Derby were caught by anglers fishing from shore. Seems the silvers ran deep early in the season and eluded anglers until they surfaced close to the hatchery. For the Women’s Derby weekend, the densest boat traffic could be found from just outside the harbor to Shoup Bay. Matsui’s derby winning fish was caught near Gold Creek. Other hot spots included Potato Point, Jacks Bay, Galena Bay and Allison Point.

The Valdez Halibut Derby is going strong and nice sized weekly winners are continuing to come into Port Valdez. Will Everett of Palmer, Alaska was the 1st place weekly winner with a 156.2 pound halibut he caught aboard the Bold Eagle. Laura Saxe of Valdez took the 2nd place weekly prize with a 107 pound halibut she caught aboard the Go Get Her. David Jamison is still leading the derby with the 253.0 pound halibut he caught May 29th aboard the Nanatuk.

 

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1st        David Jamison             Fairbanks, AK             253.0 lbs.         May 29                        Nanatuk
2nd        Kim Steiger                  Westchester, PA           211.0 lbs.         July 5               Halibut Grove
3rd        Jeff Leaverton             Madisonville, LA         174.4 lbs.         June 16                        Dan Orion

 

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1st           Will Everett                 Palmer, AK                 156.2 lbs.         Aug 10                        Bold Eagle
2nd        Laura Saxe                  Valdez, AK                 107.0 lbs.         Aug 10                        Go Get Her

 

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders

1st        Nana Matsui                Valdez, AK                 15.90 lbs.         Aug 13                        Summer School
2nd        Jensen Rhoades           Valdez, AK                 14.58 lbs.         Aug 9              Shore (Allison Pt)
3rd        Cindy Unger               Valdez, AK                 14.58 lbs.         Aug 13                        See n Things

 


 

Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby
2016 – TOP 50

 

Place Name Hometown Fish Weight
       
1st Nana Matsui Valdez, AK 15.90 lbs.
2nd Cindy Unger Valdez, AK 14.58 lbs.
3rd Karinna Gonzalez Fairbanks, AK 14.46 lbs.
4th Tammy Hurst Valdez, AK 14.22 lbs.
5th Beverly Lee Gladstone, MI 14.16 lbs.
6th Sandra Petersen Scottsdale, AZ 13.96 lbs.
7th Laura Saxe Valdez, AK 13.78 lbs.
8th Pam Carbaugh Anchorage, AK 13.74 lbs.
9th Cheryl Painter Chugiak, AK 13.74 lbs.
10th Michale Carlile Wasilla, AK 13.62 lbs.
11th Veronica Burzinski Anchorage, AK 13.46 lbs.
12th Sharon Baxter Fairbanks, AK 13.32 lbs.
13th Annella Dickinson Valdez, AK 13.30 lbs.
14th Natalie Croteau North Pole, AK 13.14 lbs.
15th Christy Franklin Valdez, AK 13.10 lbs.
16th Lynda Hernandez Anchorage, AK 13.08 lbs.
17th June Smith Fairbanks, AK 12.98 lbs.
18th Savannah Cockerham Valdez, AK 12.88 lbs.
19th Jennifer Cooper Fairbanks, AK 12.86 lbs.
20th Jessica Risk Valdez, AK 12.84 lbs.
21st Vicki Twardowski Lemont, IL 12.84 lbs.
22nd Connie Huizenga Fairbanks, AK 12.82 lbs.
23rd Susan Glade North Pole, AK 12.76 lbs.
24th Heather Coleman Wasilla, AK 12.70 lbs.
25th Marilou Walterman North Pole, AK 12.66 lbs.
26th Dollie Hoch Wasilla, AK 12.66 lbs.
27th Jamie Arciniega Valdez, AK 12.64 lbs.
28th Clarissa Mashburn Anchorage, AK 12.60 lbs.
29th Charmaine Allen Valdez, AK 12.58 lbs.
30th Jeanne Chapman Fairbanks, AK 12.56 lbs.
31st Andrea Sitton Tok, AK 12.52 lbs.
32nd Shawana Glade North Pole, AK 12.52 lbs.
33rd Courtney Volkman Deer Creek, MN 12.52 lbs.
34th Sheila Lint Delta Junction, AK 12.50 lbs.
35th Kathy Young Fairbanks, AK 12.50 lbs.
36th Kathy Molinar Valdez, AK 12.36 lbs.
37th Jackie Brown New Mittletown, OH 12.24 lbs.
38th Shannon Groundwater Valdez, AK 12.20 lbs.
39th Tamara Stamm Boise, ID 12.20 lbs.
40th Natalie Chamberlin Fairbanks, AK 12.18 lbs.
41st Anita McIntosh La Grande, OR 12.18 lbs.
42nd Jennifer Nunley Galena, AK 12.14 lbs.
43rd Andrea Koski Fairbanks, AK 12.12 lbs.
44th Remedios Nigl North Pole, AK 12.06 lbs.
45th Joy Bruns Wasilla, AK 12.04 lbs.
46th Dona Mae Smedley Wasilla, AK 11.98 lbs.
47th Donna LaPella Valdez, AK 11.97 lbs.
48th Dezi Wiley Valdez, AK 11.94 lbs.
49th Charlot Pierce Anchorage, AK 11.92 lbs.
50th Gloria Coce St. Paul, Alberta 11.90 lbs.

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